Can older people stop sharing? An ethnographic study on fake news and active aging in Brazil

Abstract

Abstract Purpose An association between age and misinformation is frequently found in literature, which contributes to a moral panic about older people’s participation in the dissemination of fake news. This qualitative study adds context to this discussion by investigating why older people are motivated to engage with online information and why sharing matters in old age. Design/methodology/approach A 16-month ethnographic study was conducted with a group of older adults in São Paulo, Brazil. Participant observation was complemented by in-depth interviews in order to approach participant strategies to evaluate online content and health information. Findings Participants were connected in multiple WhatsApp groups in which they shared content associated with active aging. Sharing helped them to craft their identity as third-agers at the same time that their work as curators was motivated by the local work-oriented ethics. An indirect system of influences impacted the participants’ decisions to trust and share content. Content was evaluated based on long-term interpersonal trust, while health information was validated by expertise in the healthcare area. “Doctor friends” provided medical guidance by warming the health information that the participants found online. Practical implication Regardless of their level of education, older adults need expert friends to warm health information. This dependency impacts active aging and challenges the idea that the internet could empower health decision-making. Social implications This study provides information for policymakers and industries to understand how older adults can access health information and obtain medical guidance. Originality/value This paper shows how sharing behavior can be influenced by local cultural contexts and contributes to mitigating the causal association between age and fake news.